Treadle-switch



R. J. PARSONS TREADLE SWITCH Nov. 8, 1932.

Filed Oct. 26, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet J fir-- 3 m 1 fa /$0108;

Nov. 8, 1932. R. J. PARSONS TREADLE SWITCH Filed Oct. 26, 1928 2Sheets-Sheet 2 Man/I'm: Haber! J. famww,

Patented Nov. 8 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ROBERT J. PARSONS, OFSCHENEUIADY, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR T CONSOLIDATED CAR- HEA'IING COMPANY, OFALBANY, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK TREADLE-SW'IT CH Applicationfiled October 26, 1928. Serial No. 315,248.

My invention relates to a switch that is to be operated by a treadlesuch as one form ing a step leading to and from the platform of a car,whereby the weight of a person on the step will cause the closure andthe removal of said weight and reopening of an electric circuit.

For a detailed description of the present form of my invention,reference may be had 1 to the following specification and to theaccompanying drawings forming a part thereof, wherein Fig. 1 is a planview of my device;

Fig. 2 is a section thereof on line 22 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a section thereof on line 3-3 of Fl". 1;

Fig. at is a plan of the switch with the cover thereof lifted;

I) Figs. 5 and 6 are sections on lines 5-5 and 6'6 respectively of Fig.4;

Fig. 7 is a section similar to Fig. 6 with the switch-carrier lifted;

Fig. 8 is a plan and I Fig. 9 a vertical section of the treadle-stop.

In the drawings, A, A, A of Fig. 1 represent the four bars of arectangular frame in which the treadle is set. Underneath is a pan Bsecured to the bars. C is the treadle-plate which fits in between theend bars A A of said frame and is hinged near its rear edge to the saidbars by the bolts a, a. Under the front corners of the plate are twostops D, D, which are seated on the bottom of the aforesaid pan B andscrewed thereto by the screws (Z, d, etc. The details of these stops areshown in Figs. 8 and 9. In those figures d is a disc of rubber or likematerial with a metal disc 03 secured around its periphery to the underside of the rubber disc d by screws, butspaced therefrom at its centerto form a pocket in which plays vertically a cross bar cl on the upperend of a standard (Z which is secured to the bottom of pan B by thethree screws d, (l, d, aforesaid. The said cross bar d is oblong inshape and a hole having a corresponding shape is formed in the floor ofthe pocket formed by the under disc d Thereby, assuming that thestandard d is in place on the floor of pan B and projecting upwardlytherefrom, the united disc's (Z and (Z may be set down over the standardand on the compressed spring cl. Then the oblong cross-bar (i l of thestandard will enter, through the correspondingly. shaped opening in thefloor of the pocket, into the pocket or cavity between the two discs. Ifthe united discs are then turned 90 degrees around the circular neck of(Z they will be locked to the standard d by the oblong cross bar a?which now extends transversely across the oblong opening through whichit entered the pocket. The spring 0Z will also be locked in place between disc (Z above and the floor of pan B below. By this arrangementboth the up and the down movements of the treadle-plate C will bestopped by the impact of the metal cross bar (Z against a rubberabutment which abutment is the disc d for the upward and an underlyingrubber washer d for the downward stop impact. This serves to eliminatethe unpleasant sound of metal striking against metal, and also providesa treadle stop in both directions which is independent of the switchthat is operated by the treadleplate.

In Fig. 1 the switch-box E is shown in dotted lines in plan view and inFig. 2 an end view of it appears in full lines. The box is of sheetmetal and is seated on the floor of pan B near the front edge oftreadle-plate C. Its cover is hinged to the box at its rear edge andsecured at its front edge by a spring clip F. Through the two sideplates of the box extends a horizontal shaft G around which, near itsmiddle, is an insulating sleeve 9. On each end of the shaft is secured ablock H having a short radial lever arm 'k that rests on top of aswitch-actuating spring K seated on the floor of the pan B. The saidspring K tends to rotate shaft G in a switch-opening direction. A secondblock J is mounted loosely on shaft G but at one end is adjustablysecured to block H by a bolt and a slot, and at its opposite end isprovided with a roller L which bears against the under side of thetreadle-plate C as shown in Fig. 3. By adjusting the angular relation ofblocks H and J by means of the bolt and slot connection, theswitch-opening spring K keeps the roller L constantly in contact withthe treadle-plate C to prevent chattering and slack in spite ofvariations in the level of the treadle-plate when elevated due to wearon the rubber of stops D, or other causes. On the aforesaid insulatingsleeve 9 on shaft G and within the switch-box is clamped a member Pwhich may be termed a carrier for the contact piece that makes andbreaks the electric circuit. This carrier may be clamped'at anyappropriate angle with respect to shaft G and will rotate therewith. Theelectric contact piece is marked B. As shown in Fig.

4 its outer end is forked and serves to connect electrically the twoterminals T and Q when it is in its raised position bearing resilientlyon the under sides of the respective terminals. The contact piece R isheld up against the under side of carrier P by means of a boltN whichpasses upwardly through it and the carrier. Under a nut on the end ofthe bolt is a spring 0 which seats on the ripper side of the carrier.The bolt is loose in the carrierso that the contact piece R can movelongitudinally thereon. A pin S projects down from the carrier through ahole in the tail of the contact piece. The operation is indicated atFigs. 5, 6, 7. Not only are the forked ends of the contact piece putinto or out of contact with the circuit terminals T and Q, but when incontact therewith are also moved transversely with respect to saidterminals to scour the surfaces.

.In operation the weight of a person stepping on treadle-plate C willdepress that plate against the roller L and thereby compress spring K-and rotate shaft G and carrier P a slight distance before the plate isarrested by the spring stops 1), D. The movement of the carrier tends tocompress the spring 0 which will first draw the contactmember R upwardlyinto contact with terminals T and Q, thereby closing the electriccircuit as shown in Fig. 6. Then the further movement of the carrierwill compress spring 0 to hold the contacts together and because theterminals T and Q, limit radial movement of the member R, said member Rwill be caused to slide forward on the contacts to rub and clean themwhile pressed against them by spring 0. Thus the treadle C has its ownmovement, limited by the stops which ultimately acts on the contactmember B through spring 0 which has its independent range of movementthat is stopped by the contacts T and Q. When the person steps off thetreadle-plate the reverse actions take place and the circuit is broken.

WVhat I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: I

1. The combination with a movable treadle plate andan electric switchoperated thereby, of a stop member positioned to be engaged by saidtreadle plate and movable to conform to the movements thereof, andabutment means for limiting movement of said stop member, said abutmentmeans including means for deadening impacts of said stop member in bothdirections of its movement.

2. In combination, a treadle-plate, an electric switch, a shaft for theswitch and two radial members on the shaft adjusted with respect to eachother, one of said members being engaged by the plate and the othermember bearing on a switch-opening spring;

3. A treadle operated switch comprising an electrical switch, a springpressed arm connected with the movable member of said switchv andacting; to maintain it in a predetermined position, an operating armconnected withthe first mentioned arm, and a treadle plate disconnectedfromsa-id arm but normally bearing thereon, the connection. between saidarms being adjustable to-vary their angular relation, so that engagementof the treadle plate and the operating arm may be maintained to preventchattering of the parts duringoperation thereof.

4. A treadle operated switch comprising an electricalswitch, a rockshaft for actuating the movable member of said switch, a spring pressedarm connected with said rock shaft and movable therewith, said armacting to maintain said movable contact in a predetermined position, anoperating arm connected with the first mentioned arm, and a treadleplate disconnected from said operating arm but normally bearing thereon,the connection between said arms being adjustable to vary the angularrelation of said arms, so that engagement of the treadle plateand theoperating arm may be maintained to prevent chattering of the parts.

5. A treadle operated switch comprising an electrical switch, a rockshaft operatively connected with the movable member of said switch, aspring pressed arm connected with said rock shaft so as to be movabletherewith, said spring pressed arm acting to maintain the said movablecontact in a predetermined position, an operating arm loosely mounted onsaid rockshaft, means adj ustably connecting said arms so that theirrelative angularity may be changed, and a treadle plate disconnectedfrom said operating arm but normally bearing thereon, said adjustableconnection of said arms serving to maintain contact between thetreadleplate and the operating arm to prevent chattering of the partsduring operation thereof.

6. A treadle operated switch comprising a rock shaft, stationarycontacts, a movable contact connected with said rock shaft and mountedto move transversely with respect to the fixed contacts, a spring armconnected with saidrock shaft and acting to maintain said movablecontactin a predetermined position, an operating arm connected with the'first mentioned arm, anda treadle plate disconnected from saidoperating arm but normally bearing thereon, the connection between saidarms being adjustable to vary their angular relation, so that engagementof the treadle plate and the operating arm may be maintained to preventchattering of the parts during operation thereof.

7. A treadle switch comprising a rock shaft, a stationary electriccontact, a carrier on the shaft, a contact piece loosely mounted on thecarrier, a spring between said carrier and said contact piece, anoperating member on said shaft, and a circuit opening spring also actingon said shaft, said operating member acting at one side against thetreadle plate and at the other side against said spring.

Signed at Albany, county of Albany, State of New York, this 23 day ofOctober, 1928.

ROBERT J. PARSONS.

CERERFWATE OF CQRREUNON.

Patent No. 1,886,497. November 8, 1932.

ROBERT J. PARSQNS.

it is hereby certified that the name of the assignee in the abovenumbered intent was erroneously described and specified as "ConsolidatedCar Heating oinoany", whereas said name should have been described andspecified as "Gonseiitiated Car Heating Company, Inc.", as shown by therecords of assignments a this office; and that the said Letters Patentshouid be read with this correction therein that the same may conform tothe record of the case in the Patent @iiiee.

Signed and sealed this 3rd day of January A. D. 1933.

M. J. Moore, (Seal) Acting Commissioner of Patents.

CERllFiCATE OF GGRRECTION.

Patent No. 1,886,497. November 8, 1932.

ROBERT J. PARSONS.

it is hereby certified that the name of the assignee in the abovenumbered patent was erroneously described and specified as "ConsolidatedGar Heating Qotnaany", whereas said name should have been described andspecified as "Consalidated Car Heating Company, Inc.", as shown by therecords of assignments in this office; and that the said Letters Patentshould be read with this correctien therein that the same may conform tothe record of the ease in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 3rd day of January A. l). 1933.

M. J. Moore,

(Seal) Acting Commissioner of Patents.

